STAFF

ROSENDO PEÑA SUAREZ

Rosendo Peña Suárez is a passionate music educator and percussionist with deep roots in Venezuela’s renowned “El Sistema” music program. He began his studies in 1989 and went on to earn degrees in percussion and music education from institutions in Caracas and the U.S., including a Master’s from the Longy School of Music of Bard College in 2024.
Rosendo has performed with various orchestras in Venezuela and taught at conservatories and universities, specializing in percussion, theory, and Latin American music. Since moving to the U.S. in 2013, he has worked with programs like Kidznotes and Miami Music Project, and currently teaches in schools across North Carolina.
He is the founder of El Sistema North Carolina, continuing his mission to inspire young musicians. Rosendo is also a proud Zildjian and Vic Firth artist.

BEIDETH BRICEÑO

Beideth Briceño, cellist and educator from Caracas, Venezuela, began her musical journey at age 10 with El Sistema and later joined the Simón Bolívar Music Conservatory. At just 16, she became principal cellist of the Caracas Youth Symphony Orchestra, a position she held for 10 years. She toured internationally with both the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra and the Caracas Youth Symphony under Maestro Gustavo Dudamel.

She holds degrees in music and law from institutions in Venezuela and the U.K., and completed her Artist Diploma and Master’s Degree at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.
Now based in Durham, North Carolina, Beideth is a cello fellow with The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle and teaches at Kidznotes and The Raleigh Music Collective, continuing her mission to inspire young musicians through excellence and passion.

RAFAEL GARGATE

Rafa Gargate, a Peruvian violist, began studying violin and viola at an early age with his uncle. At 16, he was admitted to the National Conservatory of Music in Peru, where he studied with Roberto Gonzales. In 2012, he won the soloist competition of the National Symphony Orchestra of Peru, and in 2016 performed as a soloist with the Arequipa Symphony Orchestra. He has taken masterclasses with renowned violists such as Stefan Fehland, Roland Glassl, Lawrence Dutton, and Roberto Díaz. Rafael has participated in festivals in Brazil and the United States. He earned an Artist Diploma in 2020 and completed his Master of Music degree in 2022 at Duquesne University under Marylene Gingras-Roy. That same year, he won viola positions with both the Canton and Akron Symphony Orchestras. In 2023, he became Associate Principal Viola of the Erie Philharmonic and was selected as a Viola Fellow at the Grant Park Music Festival. In 2024,he joined the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra at the viola section

ANACARO SEQUERA

Ana Sequera is a versatile Venezuelan musician with a rich career as a singer, composer, choir conductor, and music educator. She led the renowned Philharmonic Choir of Carabobo (now Federico Núñez Corona) and has composed and arranged music for acclaimed Venezuelan artists, releasing three original albums.
As a performer, Ana has explored diverse genres and toured Europe with Tradiciones de Venezuela, sharing the beauty of her country’s music. Since moving to the U.S., she has focused on early childhood music education, teaching young children and inspiring a love for music from the earliest years.
Ana continues to perform and collaborate with local groups, bringing her passion and artistry to every stage. Her work reflects a deep commitment to the transformative power of music.

MADDY ALLWEIN

From Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Maddy holds a BM in Music History and Flute with a focus in Latin American music from Temple University, and an M.Ed. in TESOL.

She is currently pursuing a PhD in (ethno)musicology at UNC Chapel Hill. Between 2018 and 2024, Maddy enjoyed working in public schools in Houston, TX and Philadelphia, PA where she taught middle and high school courses. Outside of Maddy’s academic and educational work, she enjoys spending time with loved ones (especially outdoors), volunteering, and participating in music festivals around the world.